Well…looking back…maybe I did…

Last Thursday afternoon, smack dab in the middle of all of the new church building excitement, I got a phone call from Doug.

He was at work…and called to tell me of a curiously cryptic meeting that his group was told to attend during their last break that afternoon.

hmmm.

We both thought it…and said it out loud…

“could it be?….”

The next phone call from Doug came an hour later with the news that my heart already knew.

After almost twenty years as a professional musician at Walt Disney World, Doug was handed a piece of paper that he has never been handed before…a “close of show” notice.

In the entertainment biz, that’s just a super polite way of saying “don’t let the door hit you in the booty on the way out”.

Yep…Doug’s group at Disney will soon be no more. Their last show will be on Saturday, September 20.

It’s just. kinda. crazy.

We’ve known….ever since Doug signed the first contract to sing bass in Four for a Dollar waaayyy back in 1994…that this day would come. It’s the business. Entertainment is cyclical. Shows come. Shows go. In fact, this was precisely the reason for the show close that the guys were given by Disney management on Thursday…it’s time to “freshen up”. Out with the “old”…in with the “new”.

When Doug signed that first contract in 94, we figured that we were looking at this gig for 5-7 years. 10 years was an impossible dream. To have gone 14? Well…we are beyond thankful and blown away that it lasted that long. Truly. Disney entertainment years are pretty much like doggy years.

We’ve been so wrapped up in the new building at church, that all of this is kind of an afterthought right now. It sounds crazy to say that…but it’s true. Of course we’re thinking about it…and talking about it a little…but it’s just not at the forefront of our lives at this particular time.

As I write that…I realize why. For so long, Doug’s “work” was a huge part of our lives. Since our first service at Calvary Chapel of the Lakes 3 1/2 years ago, everything has shifted. While Doug’s “work” has been a great source of blessing and fun in our lives, it’s been relegated to the position of a means to an end…just the source of funding for the real focus and joy of our lives…ministry. It really is just a “day job”. Doug’s “dream job” is the one he does on Sundays…and Thursdays…and every day in between…pastoring the part of God’s church that is known as Calvary Chapel of the Lakes.

So what’s next?

Well…we don’t know.

Our first focus is to celebrate and enjoy every moment of our move to our new church building.

Over the coming days, we’ll begin to look at the road before us a little bit more.

The Disney management has already extended their hand toward Doug to help him find another position in the company…mentioning management or other performance opportunities.

And…of course…we are questioning the obvious. Is it time for full-time ministry?

Again…we don’t know.

One of my favorite Pastor Gib sayings over the years has been that “God does not direct a ship that’s not moving”. (I’ve also heard that “God does not steer a parked car.”) We believe that part of keeping our “ship moving” is to knock on and peek inside every door that is presented to us…praying constantly and fervently for God’s heart and direction in all of this.

As I reflect on the past few days, it’s amazing to realize that God has been preparing my heart for some time for this to happen. For the past six months or so, I’ve had this strong and unrelenting sense that something major was about to shift in our lives. It wasn’t a scary or ominous feeling…just a distinct sense of the need to “be ready”. When that phone call came in last Thursday, I realized that this is what God has been making my heart ready for. There has been no freaking…no panicking…no fear. Oh…there’s a tinge of sadness, of course…I love going to watch Doug sing and I love our free Disney passes. I’ll miss that. But I’m not stressed or uncertain about our future. I know Who holds it.

So…pray for us, please. We want to walk through the door of the Lord’s choosing. Not the “easy” one…or the “obvious” one….although if God wants to do “easy”, I’ll take it.

I want God’s perfect door. His perfect plan.

No other.

…to fully describe what a blessing today was.

Our first service at the new church building was an incredibly emotional and joyful time.

To stand and worship in the new sanctuary that God gave us…to experience the collective joy that was evident on so many faces…wow. I did a lot of crying today.

It was CRAZY to realize that we are no longer a “portable” church. There was a lot of “woo-hooing” and applause when Amy did the announcements and emphasized that all of the week’s upcoming activities would be held….”HERE”. Our services and ministries were previously spread out at three different venues during the week.

One of our leaders put the icing on the cake when he shouted out at the end of the service…”Don’t bother moving the chairs…they can stay right where they are!” More hooting and hollering commenced.

I was blessed and thrilled to have my family with me today. Michelle and Hayley surprised us by driving down from South Carolina for the service. Lori and Hank and the kids came and my parents were there, of course. Having them all there made everything just. perfect.

In the midst of all of my bawling, I totally forgot to take pictures. I saw a lot of cameras around the room though, so I’m sure that I’ll be able to track a few photos down.

From my scripture reading this morning…

“Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things…” Psalms 98:1

Marvelous things indeed…beyond all that we could ask or think. To God be the Glory.

See you at 351 Plaza Drive on Sunday morning!

GOD IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

Got home LATE from church tonight…a few of us did a twelve hour cram session in the children’s ministry classrooms today.

We got a LOT done.

Thank you for all of the prayers for my health…I’m feeling remarkably better. God is good.

Over on our church blog I posted a video of Isaac and two other children from church singing on the new stage.

In case you didn’t read about it on our church blog, we flunked our first attempt at getting our Certificate of Occupancy. A bunch of folks worked like crazy Wednesday night and Thursday to make the fixes.

Now…we wait.

The inspectors come this afternoon (Friday) to recheck everything. If we get the big fat “PASS”…we’re IN, and will hold our first service on Sunday. If we get a big fat “nice try”…it’s back to the YMCA for acoustic worship on Sunday morning. Yep…all of our sound equipment has been installed in the new digs…if we don’t get the C.O., it will be CCOTL “unplugged”.

More news when I have it…

…from my Mom and Dad…aka “Hammy and Hampy”.

On Monday, my parents took Noah on an overnight beach trip to celebrate his birthday.

He had a wonderful time. He got to spend lots of time in the ocean…go out to eat…and get completely and utterly “spoiled” by his grandparents.

This tradition of birthday “events” in lieu of “gifts” started a long time ago in our family. I have many incredible memories of birthday camping trips at Disney’s Ft. Wilderness…trips that were the “present”. We even did a few Christmas ski trips in Maine in lieu of Christmas gifts growing up. “Doing” instead of “getting” is absolutely my favorite thing. I’m so thankful that my parents are passing this family tradition on to their grandchildren.

Noah had an amazing time. Thank you Hammy and Hampy for such a perfect birthday gift!